AUSTIN (KXAN) — An analysis completed by the Texas State Auditor’s Office revealed 13 state agencies exceeded a 17% turnover rate in 2023.
The report also showed which kinds of jobs (with 20 or more employees) had a turnover rate exceeding 17%.
The report stated some state agencies were excluded from the study due to certain factors that could skew the turnover rates.
Factors considered to skew rates:
- State agencies under 50 employees
- If an agency had a job classification series with 20 or fewer employees
- The turnover at the Texas Education Agency was a result of employees transferring to the Texas Permanent School Fund Corporation
- Self-directed and semi-independent agencies exempt from the State’s Position Classification Plan
While the results highlighted the state agencies that have exceeded a 17% turnover rate, nine of those saw a “decrease in turnover rates in fiscal year 2023 when compared to fiscal year 2022,” according to the report.
The 13 Texas State Agencies named in the report:
- Juvenile Justice Department – 47.2% turnover rate
- Preservation Board – 31.1% turnover rate
- Department of Family and Protective Services – 26% turnover rate
- Department of Criminal Justice – 25.9% turnover rate
- Office of Injured Employee Counsel – 22.2% turnover rate
- Texas Military Department – 21.8% turnover rate
- Health and Human Services Commission – 21.5% turnover rate
- Library and Archives Commission – 20.5% turnover rate
- Department of Agriculture – 19.8% turnover rate
- Veterans Commission – 19.8% turnover rate
- Department of State Health Services – 18.9% turnover rate
- Historical Commission – 18.8% turnover rate
- Secretary of State – 18.1% turnover rate
KXAN reached out to each of these agencies for comment and will update this story when we receive a response.
According to the report, all agencies, excluding the Department of Agriculture and the Historical Commission, had turnover rates that also exceeded 17% in 2022.
The Texas State Auditor’s Office conducts a biennial report on the State’s Position Classification Plan in the first place to make sure that employees of the state are “classified appropriately,” the plan said. The findings help with employee recruitment, retention rates and salary guidelines, according to the plan.
Looking ahead
A spokesperson for The Texas Department for Family and Protective Services referred KXAN to the DFPS Human Resource Management Plan on how it plans to address the agency’s turnover rate.
“(DFPS) must focus on reducing employee turnover through better management and hiring, retaining, and promoting a high-quality workforce into positions of leadership,” the plan said.
The success of the agency’s new developments will be measured in the decrease in employee turnover rates, especially in caseworkers, the plan said.
Additionally, a spokesperson for The Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) disclosed to KXAN that employees felt that pay was a major factor for high turnover.
“The retention of our employees is important to keeping up with Texas’ growing veteran population…By continually improving our great team, TVC will enhance its services to veterans across the state and improve their quality of life,”TVC said.
The Texas Department of State Health Services shared part 1 of the DSHS Strategic Plan for 2024-2029 with KXAN and how they plan to retain and sustain a strong workforce.
DSHS also highlighted how “inspectors and social services workers, who are currently classified as administrative assistants or low-level program specialists” was one of the budget exceptional items brought up yesterday in front of The Governor’s Office and The Legislative Budget Board.